Crank oil seal change - which parts and where to buy?

[finmac]

Got the engine out of my car last night and it looks like the sump was leaking at the rear cause one of the long bolts had worked lose. Anyway seen its out and to be sure I am going to change the main crank oil seal as well. My questions are:

 

1. Can I buy a sump gasket? (There's not one there meantime, just some kind of instant gasket). If not what's the best recommendation for instant gasket?

2.. Do I need to replace the flywheel bolts or is it OK to reuse existing?

3. I think I will replace the small brass cage filters on the two scavange pump inlets (in the sump) . These are a little twisted looking - where to buy?

4. Where to buy the oil seal itself?

5. What's the total system oil capacity

 

 

Thanks!

 

Should say its a DS VX with bell housing catch tank.

[Paul Deslandes]

Hi Finlay

 

you can buy the sump gasket and the rear oil seal from a Vauxhall dealer or from QED or SBD. I guess where you are you'd have to buy them mail order anyway. Whether you use sealant all the way around the flange, instead of a gasket, or a proper gasket (which would really be a better solution) you must put the sealant into the rear main bearing cap channels if you remove it and across the joins between the cap and the crank case and, similarly, at the other end where the oil pump interfaces with the crankcase, as per the info I sent you. Loctite 598 sealant as above, or Hondabond if you're not using a gasket.

 

The Vx build manual says 4 litres for dry sump and not to let it go below 2.8 litres. Only check oil level with the engine running or immediately after its stopped as oil slowly seeps into the sump when its not running.

 

Unless your really going to rev the nuts off the engine I would have thought you could reuse the flywheel bolts but a set of ARP bolts is definitely worth the cost if you're competing or doing track days.

 

Can you not reshape the gauze filters with judicious use of a piece of dowel and pliers? If not Caterham or Redline might be able to supply new.

 

Paul

[finmac]

Thanks Paul, that's really helpful - as ever, my appreciated!

 

Ref the flywheel bolts ordinary ones are 80p each from QED and the competition ones £6.5 each!! Ouch!!

 

Sump gasket seems to be available at £15 odd, I take it DS one be same as wet sump 1?

 

 

Cheers and all the best Finlay

[Paul Deslandes]

The standard sump gasket fits, the difference being that you only need one of them whereas wet sump needs two to go either side of the baffle plate.

 

As for bolt prices, the standard one's will do just fine but if you're paying postage for something else I would get new ones. A flywheel will do a lot of damage if it comes off! You really only need the ARP bolts if you're revving it high and hard - but they are expensive aren't they

 

Paul

[Mavic82]

Finlay,

 

Is it a caterham dry sump pan (titan) on a VX engine? On my car with said set up there is no gasket used, the gasket (even one) would be to thick preventing the bellhousing bolts aligning and preventing the two 'O'rings seating between the sump pan and the cheese wedge that bolts to the GM oil pump. Also worth changing the 'o' rings too whilst you have it all apart.

 

I don't have the bellhousing tank but thought I would offer a different view point.

 

Definately fit the ARP bolts as Paul suggests worth while investment.

 

By the way the seats are great

 

Guy

 

Edited by - Mavic82 on 22 Mar 2011 21:03:39

[ECR]

I agree with Guy. No gasket shoulkd be used on the dry sump system, just loctite 574 or silicone sealant (but not so much that it strings inside the sump)

 

[Paul Deslandes]

Ah, yes. I remember now that we couldn't use a gasket when we did one a few years ago. That's saved you £15 😬

 

Only use just enough sealant on the flange faces. I've used Hondabond recently which is designed to seal gasketless flanges. Once dried, it crumbles so that it doesn't clog any oilways. Even so you should use the minimum amount needed to be effective. Its also quite easy to break apart and clean the surfaces next time you need to strip it down as it isn't sticky. Loctite 598 or 574 just as good though.

[finmac]

Thanks gents, all very helpful!

 

Glad the seats are OK guy!

 

So to summarise I need the following:

 

Crank oil seal

Hondabond flange sealer

New O rings near cheese wedge

New flywheel bolts

Sealant for the main bearing cap sides - Paul would the hondbond do that also or better with loctite?

 

Cheers Finlay

 

[Paul Deslandes]

I wouldn't bother with the Hondabond and I certainly wouldn't use it to seal the bearing cap. You should use the Loctite 598 or Vauxhall equivalent for the bearing cap and its perfectly good for the sump sealant.

 

Paul